Mel Gibson: Is He Abusive Because He’s Bi-Polar, An Alcoholic Or Just A Jerk?

HollywoodLife.com spoke with top psychologists, psychiatrists and an anger management and addiction expert about Mel Gibson’s shocking rants — and learned what they reveal about his mental health!

Mel Gibson is a recovering alcoholic and an alleged manic depressive, but does that explain his horrific ranting at his now ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva?

In four recorded phone-wars that have now leaked on the Internet, the 54-year-old screams racial slurs, drops the C-word and threatens to kill the mother of his eight-month-old child, Lucia — all the while huffing and puffing like he’s having a panic attack.

Some are saying Mel’s abusive behavior can be partially blamed on his mental health. Nearly ten years ago Mel admitted in a documentary called Acting Class of 1977 (released in 2008) that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

“I had really good highs but some very low lows,” the Braveheart actor said. “I found out recently I’m manic depressive.”

HollywoodLife.com consulted with top doctors and therapists in the psychiatric field and the response was nearly unanimous. Despite his alleged diagnosis, Mel’s mental instability cannot be completely to blame for his abusive and offensive behavior.

Rage is not a symptom of bipolar disorder:

“I don’t know if it’s a panic attack or if it’s just more uncontrolled rage. Rage isn’t a symptom and doesn’t stem from bipolar disorder — but if you take into account his issues with his relationship with Oksana, on top of everything else, his mental health could be in part [to blame].” — Clinical psychologist and host of VH1’s Dad CampDr. Jeff Gardere

“If Mel has said that he has been diagnosed as a manic depressive with bipolar disorder, then yes, it might contribute, but it doesn’t exonerate him. There are a lot of people who have bipolar disorder and are not abusive like this. A manic depressive can have very intense feelings, but plenty of people who have been diagnosed and are NOT abusive. They don’t threaten to burn down the house or use racial slurs.” — Los Angeles-based psychotherapist Dr. Jenn Berman

“You cannot diagnose him as a manic depressive just from these tapes. He feels used and abandoned. Mel Gibson’s rage is pure sexual frustration. In the fourth tape where he talks about not getting sexually pleasured, it makes it even clearer that it’s just extreme sexual frustration … and that can push someone over the edge.” — Psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman

Mel Gibson exhibits signs of narcissism — which also isn’t a symptom of his alleged disorder:

“One of the things that you hear in all of the audio tapes is that everything is about HIM. He says she embarrasses him. HE wants sex. There’s nothing about her. He obviously has no ability to communicate. It’s all me, me, me.” — Dr. Berman

“Mel Gibson was narcissistically wounded and he was trying to wound her. He was trying to wound her with his words the same way she wounded him by abandoning him.” — Dr. Lieberman

Crazy or just angry, Mel Gibson needs help NOW:

“People who have any kind of disorder and go untreated tend to just get worse. First, he needs to get his mood and his mental state in a better place. He needs to be stabilized before he can even address where all this hate and rage is coming from. He definitely needs some kind of psychological intervention.” — Dr. Berman

“If Mel has a disorder, he needs to take his medicine and go to therapy. THEN he can follow up and figure out what’s causing this.” — Dr. Gardere

“I don’t care if he is manic. What I hear in those tapes is really rage. Mel is full of rage and anger. He’s controlling and he’s abusive. He needs help.” — Addiction expert and anger management specialist Marty Brenner